Communications gateways use cellular data networks. The communications gateways incorporate cellular data modules, which are typically used to provide data connectivity in both fixed and mobile customer applications. Such communications gateways can provide one or many data interfaces. A new industry term for the typical application scenarios where such gateways are used is M2M (Machine-to-Machine), or more colloquially, “The Internet of Things.”
Recent advances in available data throughput (i.e., bandwidth) on modern cellular networks, such as “4G” LTE (long term evolution) and WiMax networks, have enabled the deployment of more data intensive applications and usage scenarios. In many cases such applications can only perform optimally when the communications gateway is connected to the highest performance cellular data network type available to it at a given location. As a result, this has exposed issues in the algorithms and methodologies used to facilitate handover between cellular data network types. This can result in situations where a communications gateway or cellular data module can be effectively locked to using a slower network than what might otherwise be available because algorithms to facilitate the transitions between 2G, 3G, and 4G networks are unable to cope with the data usage patterns typical in customer application scenarios.
Conventional techniques do not account for the variability in the type of connectivity and related performance needed for efficient and cost-effective operation of the communications gateway. Cost can be affected by amount of data consumed, when it is consumed, and the network type used. Access costs vary among different carriers. Data usage overage fees can result in significant additional monthly expense, particularly when data usage of a given application cannot be well modeled or controlled. Manual control is cumbersome and often implemented by users too late to be effective in controlling costs.
Accordingly, a need remains for improved methods and systems for algorithmically balancing cost and performance of cellular data connections in multipurpose communications gateways and other cellular enabled devices. Embodiments of the invention address these and other limitations in the prior art.
The foregoing and other features of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.